Ghanaian football fans at Keta in the Volta Region have expressed confidence that the Black Stars will bounce back to secure qualification to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations despite their 2-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in their opening qualifying match. The Black Stars suffered the setback in Ivory Coast, where the host nation capitalized on home advantage to secure all three points in the Group opener of the qualifying series.
Mr. Raymond Kpodovia, a fan, reacting to the result, said though disappointing, it was not enough to dampen the belief in the team's chances of making it to the 2027 tournament. He noted that the Black Stars had shown character in patches of the game despite the absence of big players who opted out due to various injury situations.
Mr. Kpodovia said many fans were looking forward to the team's next qualifier against Somalia, scheduled for September 30, at the Accra Sports Stadium, which would be a must-win game for Ghana to grab the three maximum points. He emphasized that a home victory over Somalia would go a long way to boost the confidence of the players and put the team back on track in the qualifying campaign.
The Black Stars find themselves in a group made up of Ivory Coast, The Gambia, and Somalia. Mr. Kpodovia argued that the composition of the group leaves the Black Stars with no excuse not to qualify for the 2027 AFCON. He noted that on paper, the Black Stars remain one of the strongest teams in the group and should be able to recover from the opening loss to finish among the top 2 qualifying positions.
Some fans have appealed to other Ghanaians across the country to throng the Accra Sports Stadium in their numbers to cheer the team to victory in the upcoming fixture to boost the morale of the players for victory. They said the passionate home support has historically played a key role in lifting the Black Stars during difficult periods.
The fans expressed hope that a similar atmosphere would inspire the team against Somalia and that despite the opening-day defeat to Ivory Coast, the team would regroup and bounce back to pick victory over their opponents for the 2027 AFCON qualification and deliver positive results in the remaining group matches.
Currently, Ivory Coast leads group C table with 3 points, while Gambia and Somalia occupy second and third place, respectively, with zero points each. Ghana has zero points at the bottom of the table with a negative 2 goal difference. The Gambia will host Somalia on September 25 in other group C fixtures.
Key points
- The Black Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in their opening qualifying match for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
- Fans in Keta, Volta Region, remain optimistic about the team's chances of qualifying for the 2027 AFCON.
- The team's next qualifier is against Somalia on September 30 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
